The subject of today’s lesson

L’Estrade is no more than a couple of farmhouses, a barn and some other motley outbuildings. The farmer has a table laid out with urns of coffee, tea and orange juice for passing peregrinos. I am enjoying a coffee and a rest, rubbing my aching feet when this crowd of school children from Brittany appear with their schoolteacher and I became the subject of their lesson for the day.

Where do I come from? Where am I going? Am I walking alone? Am I scared? Why am I rubbing my feet?

They are on a week’s school trip and are walking 80km of the Camino. When they learn I am walking all 1600km from Le Puy to Santiago on my own they give me an enthusiastic round of applause, which make me feel like I am on stage. I am also the reason, they are informed by their teacher, that they need to learn English, as there are many people like me who do not speak French.